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Kraftwerk: Electric Cafe

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Warner Bros.  Records
Released: 1986
Time:
 35:38
Category: Electronica
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.kraftwerk.com
Appears with: Karl Bartos
Purchase date: 2001.03.01
Price in €: 19,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Boing Boom Tschak (Kraftwerk)- 2:57
[2] Techno Pop (Kraftwerk)- 7:42
[3] Musique Non-Stop (Kraftwerk) - 5:45
[4] Telephone Call (Kraftwerk)- 8:03
[5] Sex Object (Kraftwerk)- 6:51
[6] Electric Cafe (Kraftwerk)- 4:20

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Karl Bartos - Keyboards, Producer
Ralf Hütter - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer
Florian Schneider - Drums, Keyboards, Producer
Wolfgang Flür - Keyboards, Producer

Bill Miranda - Engineer
Joachim Dehmann - Engineer
Henning Schmitz - Engineer
Ron Saint Germain - Mixing
François Kevorkian - Mixing
Bob Ludwig - Mastering
Fred Maher - Transfers
Hubert Kretzschmar - Design, Melody Arrangement
Marvin Katz - Artwork
Emil Schult - Artwork
Wolfgang Klaus - Artwork
Chico DeLosReyes - Artwork
Robert McDermott - Artwork
Peter Oppenheimer - Artwork
Rebecca Allen - Artwork
Amber Denker - Artwork

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1986 CD Elektra 25525-2
1986 LP EMI 1001
1986 CS Elektra 25525-4
1990 CD Warner Brothers 25525
1990 CD Elektra/Asylum 25525
1995 CD EMI 1346



Kraftwerk is a constant in an evolving world. Perfectly distinct, they stand alone among synthesizer dance groups as pioneers that have not been topped. Nobody did it before them - the simple stripping down of dance rhythms to a deceptively simple core, using most monotonic vocals, the space between blips and disparate rhythms to create a palpable tension. That makes for uneasy listening and creative dancing, and explains the group's longevity. The time is right for a Kraftwerk resurgence, both as an underground dance band and as a pop band, in the wake of Art Of Noise's success and the popularity of synth pop. Top cuts: "Boing Boom Tschalk," "The Telephone Call," "Techno Pop."

CMJ New Music Report Issue: 105 - Nov 21, 1986



Five long years after Computer World, Kraftwerk finally resurfaced with another LP, Electric Cafe; the rest of the pop music industry having finally caught up with the group's vision, they no longer seem so innovative and inspired - indeed, the record's brief running time (under 36 minutes) seems indicative of a lack of ideas and new directions, with the spartan opening tracks "Technopop" and "Musique Non-Stop" virtually interchangeable and the remaining cuts surprisingly mainstream in both form and content.

Jason Ankeny - All Music Guide



The byproduct of a much anticipated, long-delayed, and ultimately scrapped album to have been called Technopop (and to have contained Kraftwerk's great dance single "Tour de France"), 1986's Electric Cafe suffers only slightly from lacking the thematic focus of previous Kraftwerk albums. Ironically, the '80s techno-pop wave had passed by band founders Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter at this point, but their sly wit ("Boing Boom Tschak," "Telephone," "Sex Object") and melodic inventiveness still stand the test of time. Its segues virtually seamless, Electric Cafe plays like one mega-dance-mix, but with the tasteful restraint that has long been a Kraftwerk hallmark. This is club music for thinking men and women.

Jerry McCulley - Amazon.com



Als Nebenprodukt eines langerwarteten, immer wieder aufgeschobenen, dann endgültig aufgehobenen Projekts mit dem Arbeitstitel Technopop (das Kraftwerks großartige Dance-Single "Tour de France" enthalten sollte), läßt Electric Cafe von 1986 leider etwas den thematischen Bezug früherer Alben vermissen. Ironischerweise wurde die Technopop-Welle der 80er Jahre von den Gründungsmitgliedern Florian Schneider und Ralf Hutter zu diesem Zeitpunkt gar nicht wahrgenommen. Ihr trockener Humor aber ("Boing Boom Tschak", "Telephone", "Sex Object") und ihre melodischen Einfälle haben den Test der Zeit glänzend bestanden. Die verschiedenen Teile fügen sich nahtlos zu einem Ganzen. Electric Cafe klingt wie ein riesiger Mega-Dance-Mix, aber mit jener vornehmen Zurückhaltung, die immer schon das Markenzeichen von Kraftwerk war. Dies ist eben Clubmusik für den denkenden Teil der Bevölkerung.

Jerry McCulley, Amazon.de


Not Kraftwerk's best, but still excellent

Many people dislike this album, especially in comparison to Kraftwerk's earlier efforts, including Man-Machine and Computer World, but on its own merits, this album is great. I only give it 3 stars in comparison to the rest of Kraftwerk's releases; in comparison to most of what I've heard, it would definately rate 4 or 4 and a half stars. The album isn't as boring as some make it out to be, but there isn't anything truly spectactular about it like there are in other Kraftwerk releases. Stand out tracks include the suite on side A (Boing Boom Tschak/Techno Pop/Musique Non Stop) and The Telephone Call. Sex Object is pretty good, but Electric Cafe, the title track falls about as flat as any Kraftwerk song can. I would have liked to see the excellent Tour De France on this album (maybe replace Cafe with TDF for a new title track? Better yet, release a double album... 1983's aborted "Techno Pop" with the 1986 update.) but all and all, this is a definate album to check out, but you might want to start with another Kraftwerk album, even though, if this album were released as another band's first, I would definately await their next record with baited breath. Come to think of it, that's what I'm doing with Kraftwerk.

Rev. Matt Keeley (mrme@eskimo.com) from Seattle, WA, July 25, 1998



Kraftwerk's sexiest, funkiest, still-fresh album to date.

It might seem ludicrously debatable to say that this album is sexy, but when compared with the linear polyrhythms and Speak-and-spell harmonies of "Computer World", "Electric Café" is as hormonal as they come, where dehumanized electronics clash with (sometimes) awesomely funky big beats. This is also Kraftwerk's funniest album, "Boing Boom Tschak" (in an ironic masterstroke) features computer voices talking onomatopaeic nonsense, while "Sex Object" asks its protagonist to "show some feeling and respect". It brings to the surface the undercurrent of humour that, frankly, was always present in their music. On top of this, the sheer funky appeal of "Musik Non Stop" still shines, while "Techno Pop" is still as chilling as ever. Kraftwerk were never meant to cater to all tastes, and they still don't, perhaps more than ever. Nevertheless, there's no denying the influence they had on contemporary music. And, they're still a lot of fun to dance to.

Allan Harrison from Leeds, United Kingdom, April 26, 2000
 

 L y r i c s


Electric Cafe

Boing Boom Tschak
[boing ping boom tschak ping]

Music non stop, techno-pop
Music non stop, techno-pop

[boing ping boom tschak ping]


Techno-Pop

Music non stop, techno-pop
Music non stop, techno-pop

Synthetic electronic sounds
Industrial rhythms all around

Music non stop, techno-pop

Synthetic electronic sounds
Industrial rhythms all around

Music non stop, techno-pop
Music non stop, techno-pop

Synthetic electronic sounds
Industrial rhythms all around

Music non stop, techno-pop

[Spanish]
La musica ideas portara        (Music will bring new ideas)
y siempre continuara        (and will continue forever)
Sonido electronico            (Electronic sound)
Decibel sintetico            (Synthetic dB)

La musica ideas portara
y siempre continuara
Sonido electronico
Decibel sintetico

Music
Synthetic
Techno-pop

La musica ideas portara
y siempre continuara
Sonido electronico
Decibel sintetico

Music non stop,
Music non stop,
Music non stop,
Music non stop, techno-pop
Music non stop, techno-pop

Synthetic electronic sounds
Industrial rhythms all around

Es musst immer weiter gehn'
Musik konstruiere von Ideen

Music
Non stop
Techno-pop

Musique Non Stop
 
Musique non stop


The Telephone Call

I give you my affection and I give you my time
Trying to get a connection on the telephone line
You're so close but far away
I call you up all night and day

I give you my affection and I give you my time
Trying to get a connection on the telephone line
You're so close but far away
I call you up all night and day
You're so close but far away
I call you up all night and day

I give you my affection and I give you my time
Trying to get a connection on the telephone line
I call you up from time to time
To hear your voice on the telephone line
I call you up from time to time
To hear your voice on the telephone line


Sex Object

Yes! No!
Yes! No!
I don't want to be your sex object
Show some feeling and respect
I don't want to be your sex object
I've had enough and that's a fact

Yes! No!
Yes! No!
I don't want to be your sex object
You play your tricks they're just perfect
I don't want to be your sex object
You turn me on then you forget

No! Why? [sex]
No! Why? [sex]
Maybe, Perhaps, Yes!
Maybe, Perhaps, Yes!
Yes! No!
Yes! No!

I don't want to be your sex object
You play your tricks they're just perfect
I don't want to be your sex object
I've had enough and that's a fact

[Spanish: No! Yes! Maybe Perhaps Yes]
No... si, si quieres
No... si, si quieres
Por que? No. Quizas.
Por que? No. A lo mejor.

Sex object
Sex object

No... si, si quieres
No... si, si quieres
Por que? No. Quizas.
Por que? No. A lo mejor.

No! Why? [sex]
No! Why? [sex]
Maybe, Perhaps, Yes!
Maybe, Perhaps, Yes!

Vielleicht, warum, warum
...
doch!

Sex object
Sex object

No! Why? [sex]
No! Why? [sex]
Maybe, Perhaps, Yes!
Maybe, Perhaps, Yes!

Sex object
Sex object


Electric Cafe

Musique rythmique
Son electronique
L'art politique
A l'age atomique

Electric Cafe

Culture physique
Cuisine dietetique
L'art dynamique
A l'age atomique

Electric Cafe

Musica electronica
Figura ritmica
Arte politica
De la era atomica

Electric Cafe

Images synthetique
Forme estetique
L'art poetique
A l'age atomique

Electric Cafe

Musique rythmique
Son electronique
L'art politique
A l'age atomique

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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